alier: a Poem in Four Cantos, with Historical Notes," which was warmly praised by Campbell the poet. A third book of verse was "Seven Ages of Woman, and Other Poems," published in 1847. Previous to this, in 1833, she had published "Historical Tales of Illustrious British Children," a book commended by the London Athenæum; and in the same year "Demetrius: a Tale of Modern Greece, in Three Cantos, with Other Poems." In 1835 she brought out her first book of fiction, "The Pilgrims of Walsingham: a Historical Romance," in three volumes. The following year "Tales and Stories from History" appeared. Another volume, of a somewhat miscellaneous character, was "Floral Sketches, Fables, and Poems." In 1840 she published "Queen Victoria, from Her Birth to Her Bridal," in two volumes.

In 1840 the first volume of the "Lives of the Queens of England" was published. Elizabeth's name was omitted from the title-page at her own request, though she was generally recognized as having been a coworker in the preparation of the "History." This monumental work filled twelve volumes, the last being published in 1848. There have been altogether over a dozen distinct editions of the "Queens of England," some published in England and some in the United States. Agnes Strickland received £2,000 for the copyright, and in 1857 it was sold for £6,900. The author subsequently repurchased it, and left it at her death to her sister, Mrs. Traill, then living in Canada.

The French historian Guizot, and the American Prescott, both wrote in terms of praise of the "Queens of England," as did also many of the leading reviewers of the day, English and American. On the other hand, both the Quarterly and Edinburgh Review criticised the work severely, charging against the author partiality toward the Stuart dynasty, with unjust treatment of the opposite party, etc. The value of the work is certainly weakened by the absence of that strict impartiality which is one of the first requisites of the historian.

Between 1850 and 1859 the eight volumes of the "Lives of the Queens of Scotland," a companion work to the

"Queens of England," were published at Edinburgh. This edition was followed by an American one, 1851-59.

In 1842-43 Agnes had edited the "Letters of Mary, Queen of Scots," in three volumes, with a historical introduction and copious notes.

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In 1861 the Queens of England" was further supplemented by "Lives of the Bachelor Kings of England," embracing William Rufus, Edward V., and Edward VI.

Agnes also published several additional novels, some written with her sister Elizabeth, others by herself alone. "The Broken Heart" and "The Bridal" were published in 1835; "Alda, the British Captive," in 1841, running through several editions; and "The Rival Crusoes, and Other Tales" about the same time. In 1850 she brought out "Historic Scenes and Poetic Fancies," containing some of her earliest literary productions. In 1856 "The Seaside Offering" was privately printed. In 1860 "Old Friends and New Acquaintances" came out, and five years afterwards a long novel, in three volumes, with the rather suggestive title "How Will It End?"

In 1866 was published "Lives of the Seven Bishops ComImitted to the Tower in 1688." This had been originally published in The Churchman's Family Magazine.

In 1868 Miss Strickland published the "Lives of the Tudor Princesses, Including Lady Jane Grey and Her Sisters;" and in 1872, the "Lives of the Last Four Princesses of the Royal House of Stuart." In 1873, forty years after she had edited the "Letters of Mary, Queen of Scots," she brought out her "Life." This was the last work published during her lifetime. She died in July, 1874, and the next year two posthumous historical tales were published: "Guthred, the Widow's Slave," and "The Royal Brothers."

Elizabeth Strickland published little, if anything, independently. Her talent lay rather in the direction of research and translation than composition. She, however, wrote parts of the "Lives" and the whole of "Queen Mary Tudor," and edited several magazines and reviews. She died in her eighty-first year.

Jane Margaret, the third of the sisters, published one historical work, "Rome, Republican and Regal," in 1854. This was edited by Agnes, who indeed seems to have had a general supervision over most of the literary output of the family. Jane published, through Mr. Dean of London, a number of juvenile and other books, of no particular value. After the death of her sister Agnes she wrote a “Life” of her, published in 1887. She died at Southwold the following year.

The three remaining literary members of the family (Samuel, Susanna, and Catharine) are generally counted as Canadian rather than English writers, the greater part of their lives having been spent, and most of their books written, in Canada.

Lieut. Col. Samuel Strickland, C. M., was born in England in 1809, and emigrated to Canada in 1825. He published only one book (1853): "Twenty-Seven Years in Canada West; or, The Experiences of an Early Settler." This, again, was edited by Agnes Strickland. It is one of those works chiefly valuable to the future historian as throwing a contemporary light upon the events he has to deal with. It was praised by The Athenæum, The London Literary Gazette, and other authoritative journals. Col. Strickland died at Lakefield, Ont., in 1867, the year of Canadian Confederation.

Susanna (Mrs. Moodie), born in 1803, wrote and published practically all her books after coming to Canada. The early volume of "Patriotic Songs," written with her sister Agnes, has already been referred to. The first book she published alone was "Mark Hurdlestone," a novel in two volumes, brought out in 1852. The same year she published "Roughing It in the Bush; or, Life in Canada." This narrative of actual frontier life, as Mrs. Moodie found it, ran through a great many editions, and was commented upon, both favorably and unfavorably, by most of the English, American, and Canadian literary periodicals of the time. Blackwood's said of it and its author:

This work is a narrative of seven years' exertion and adventure. Se

verer hardships and trials were perhaps never endured for so long a period by one of her sex. We read with admiration and deep sympathy of her presence of mind and intrepidity upon many trying occasions; yet this strange, Robinson-Crusoe-like existence had its joys as well as its sorrows.

In 1853 Mrs. Moodie published "Life in the Clearings through the Bush ;" and the following year, "Flora Lyndsay; or, Passages in an Eventful Life." Also, the same year, "Matrimonial Speculations;" and in 1856, "The Moncktons," a two-volume novel. Surely a very varied programme for one pen. To these may be added a book of verse, "Enthusiasm and Other Poems," published in 1831, and a number of novels and stories: "Hugh Latimer,' “Rowland Massingham," "Adventures of Little Downey," "Soldier's Orphan," "Over the Straits," "The World before Them" (a three-volume novel), and "George Leatrim," published in 1875. She died in 1885.

Mrs. Moodie's husband, Lieut. J. W. D. Moodie, to whom she had been married before leaving England, may also be mentioned as a man of letters. He published, in 1855, a work of some value and interest, "Ten Years in South Africa," and several years afterwards a second book, "Adventures as a Soldier and Settler."

Catharine Parr Strickland was born in 1802. She was married, in 1832, to Mr. Thomas Traill, a classmate of Lockhart's at Baliol College, and a very well-read man. They came to Canada the same year, and settled in the neighborhood of Lake Rice. After the death of her husband Mrs. Traill removed to Lakefield, where she remained practically up to the day of her death.

She gives in one of her later books a very interesting account of her first excursions in the realm of literature:

It was at this time that I ventured to indulge the scribbling fever, which had been nipped in the bud by adverse criticism the previous year. Scotland was the dream of my youth, and I called the first story I wrote at this time "The Blind Highland Piper." The next was inspired by a pretty little lad with an earnest face and bright, golden curls peeping from under a ragged cap. . . . He passed the window so often that I grew to watch for him, and give him a little nod and smile to cheer his labors day by day. I never knew his history, so I just made one for him myself, and called my

story after him: "The Little Water Carrier." Thus I amused myself until my collection comprised some half dozen tales.

A friend of the family (a Mr. Morgan) saw the manuscript, and, being pleased with it, submitted it to a London publisher (Harris), who accepted it. Catharine received five guineas for it, her first literary earnings.

Miss FitzGibbon, in her excellent "Biographical Sketch of Mrs. Traill," already mentioned, gives very full details of Mrs. Traill's first books, chiefly written and published before she came to Canada. "The Blind Highland Piper," she says, was so well received by the public that Katie was employed by Harris to write another for his house. "Nursery Tales" proved a greater success. She next wrote, for the Quaker house of Messrs. Darton & Harvey, "Prejudice Reproved," "The Young Emigrants," "Sketches from Nature," "Sketch Book of a Young Naturalist," and "The Stepbrothers." This firm paid her more liberally than Harris. Messrs. Dean & Mundy published "Little Downy the Field Mouse" and

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Keepsake Guinea and Other Stories," in 1822. Many other short stories were written and published in Chambers' Journal and other annuals of the period, all anonymously.

The life of the Traills was an eventful one after they came to Canada-very different from the tranquillity of their English homes. Mrs. Traill gives an admirable picture of Lake Ontario, as she saw it for the first time on her journey to Cobourg:

Around us, gilded by the rays of the rising sun, the smooth surface of the lake shone like a sea of gold, the spray from the paddle wheels catching a thousand rainbow hues as it fell. Surpassingly beautiful were the clouds of mist as they broke into all sorts of fanciful forms, rising higher and higher, anon taking the appearance of islands, above which the dark fringe of forest-clothed shores was visible, while the white, creamy vapors below made mimic lakes and streams.

Then in a moment all was changed. The mirage of the shadow landscape disappeared; a breath of cool air from the water separated the mist and lifted it, like a golden-tinted veil, high above the trees, capes, islands, bays, and forest-crowned headlands, until all faded away, leaving but a dream of beauty on the gazer's mind.

Elsewhere she describes enthusiastically the matchless Ca